By: Casha Doemland
According to a survey conducted for the Council for Responsible Nutrition, “Seventy-one percent of U.S. adults – more than 170 million – take dietary supplements,” 75% of which is a multivitamin. People take supplements for a variety of reasons, from boosting energy and brain power to promoting efficient digestion and enhancing strength.
For UK-based supplement company, Performance Lab, the combination of cutting-edge formulas and minimalistic, yet chic packaging designed by Robot Food have earned it recognition as a “lifestyle brand for performers.”
Performance Lab has a series of formulas, starting with Core or the Whole-Food Multi, men’s or women’s, which acts as a multivitamin. From there, you can add on Energy for advanced mitochondrial support, Mind for brain health or Prebiotic to optimize digestive health. All of which are 100% vegan, free of caffeine, allergens, synthetic additives and banned substances.
“We’ve worked with the guys behind Performance Lab on quite a few projects now,” states Glen Thorpe, designer at Robot Food. “This latest venture was a step up for them in product innovation, and they wanted a brand that could visually amplify optimized formulations.”
“For a brand new creation, we always start off by fully immersing ourselves in the company, researching their target and carrying out a category audit to feed into a client workshop,” shares Thorpe. “Once we’ve got to what we feel is the crux of the brand, it’s essence, we then start looking at the design strategy and exploring a range of different brand executions through creating two or three brand propositions.”
After the proposition is locked and loaded, the execution begins, which included working very closely and collaboratively with the team at Performance Lab to ensure the packaging delivered not only met everyone’s standards but exceeded them.
Now, the biggest goal and challenge moving forward was to get the print finish of the holofoil to be perfect. “This is a series of products at quite a high price point, so it was paramount to the success of what we wanted to deliver that the experience of receiving products was special – the devil’s in the detail as it were,” shares Thorpe.
Unfortunately, finding a printer to match the look and feel of what they were striving for proved to be extremely difficult and resulted in several trials that all fell short.
Eventually, “we found a solution that worked for all involved,” begins Thorpe. “The luster was achieved by digitally printing a gradient onto the substrate and then applying a transparent holographic foil on top so that when the light hits the foil, it refracts and creates a shimmering oil slick effect over the gradient areas.”
The inspiration for the finish derived from high-end cosmetics, where the experience extends beyond the product itself but instead starts with the packaging.
The next challenge was finding the right balance between displaying all the necessary product selling points on the packaging while maintaining a stripped-back, minimalistic aesthetic. They achieved this through a crisp, black font strategically placed in varying sizes.
“Having the client on board every step of the way was really rewarding,” shares Thorpe. “They really trusted us and our process, and I think that shows with the final outcomes.
As a creative agency who values mutual success, innovative designs and is down to step far outside of their comfort zone to achieve it, it only makes sense that the finished products for Performance Lab turned out as stellar as they did, ultimately elevating the brand as a whole to something more high-end.
Additionally, Robot Food firmly believes it’s important to have designers of varying levels who work together to ensure all the work is fresh and plays to the client’s strengths all while delivering a design that once again combines the minimalism they favor with the personality of the client.
“We promised we’d deliver something special,” says Thorpe, “something that really puts their product on the forefront, and I think we achieved that.”
Casha Doemland
LA-based and Georgia-bred, Casha Doemland spends her days crafting poetry and freelance writing. Over the last two years, she’s been published in a variety of publications and zines around the world. When she’s not nerding out with words, you can catch her watching a classic film, trekking around the globe or hanging out with a four-pound Pomeranian.
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